The Chocolate Project - Friday 12/1/2006

I love sharing good stuff.

Today I brought in the Trader Joe's sipping chocolate I've been bragging up at work. It's thick and strong and kind of wonderful.

Later today, we'll launch December in a festive way with a tasting. I have only made this one serving at a time, so we shall see if I make a big mess or what. Gonna use the foamer Braveheart gave me for Christmas to blend the chocolate and the milk, then top it with the extra-creamy whipped cream I picked up this morning.

Jingle jingle!

The Lights Are On... - Thursday 11/30/2006

...but no one's home.

This hummer was left running in the restaurant parking lot.

What tha--?

You don't just run in and out of Bob's Big Boy. You sit. For like a half an hour. I-- I can't even begin to write about this.

It's all too obvious.

Sing in the Sunshine - Tuesday 11/28/2006

This is out of order because I was all caught up in my computer issues on Wednesday morning.

This guy was sitting on the corner across from the coffee house, just playing for himself. It was sunny, but pretty darn cold for Southern California.

It's always good to see people engaged in their art.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Writers - Wednesday 11/29/2006

I'm not making any claims about the quality of my writing but you would have to agree that in terms of quantity, I have been a very good writer this month.

I wrote another 2000+ words of character notes this morning before work. I'd left my USB drive on my desk yesterday. A simple one-block walk to my office before writing would have helped with about 50% of the sick feeling in my stomach right now.

I plugged in my trusty laptop to recharge it and to download my work to the USB drive, and...thump. It won't boot up. At all. It just whirs for a split second and then it stops. I've tried removing the battery, etc.

The manufacturer's warranty has expired. I think I bought the extended warranty. I would really like those notes and the outline I was so excited about having finished, more than even if they just gave me a brand new computer.

At least I have the whole manuscript on USB and printed out. It's just...potentially really sad.

[EDIT: IT'S OKAY!!!! I called the support service from Circuit City and they ran me through discharging all the power... It was more than just taking out the battery. And found out I may have a recall issue regarding static electricity. But the main thing is, my writing from this morning is all there, and now backed up on my USB drive, and being printed out imminently. Glad I didn't have a meltdown. I would have felt pretty silly.

To paraphrase John Lennon, happiness is a warm USB drive.]

Bam! Here's Some More For You! - Monday 11/27/2006

Christmas spirit, that is. I was minding my own business, typing away at my usual table at Bob's around 5:30 this morning when--BAM!--this Christmas bulb landed on my table. I hadn't even noticed that they'd decorated the chandeliers above the booths.

When I tried to hand it to the waiter, he said, "Oh, no. It's destiny. That one's yours. It picked you."

So, okay. I brought it with me. I will secure the tie ribbon a little better and hang it over my desk. Is this some sort of odd synchronicity or what? When I got to work, I found answers to my question about types of ropes and knots that I'd posted on the NaNoWriMo forum where you can ask realism questions.

Also... Today I printed out my rough draft manuscript, double-spaced (yes, on recycled paper), because I feel like I deserve to haul this monster into my writing group tomorrow night and plop it down on Gia's coffee table. They will be almost as happy as I am...maybe more so. They don't have to rework it!

Christmas Spirit - Sunday 11/26/2006

Hydra's got it! He spent quite a few hours getting all this stuff arranged. It looks great as you come up the street!

See how the bear is skiiing down from the star!?